Sheriff: Ask for help shoveling outside

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said people should look out for one another in these arctic conditions, and it doesn’t hurt to ask for help.

“Christmas isn’t too far in the rearview mirror -- people still want to help each other,” he said.

Referencing recent weather-related deaths in the county, Bouchard said it was tragic that these incidents could be avoided. Regardless of someone’s physical shape, he said, exerting an extreme amount of energy outside isn’t always smart.

He added that this recent snowfall has twice the amount of condensed inches of water as the snowfall before it, making it heavier.

“For someone who is not in great shape, if they go out and try to lift this heavy type of snow, it could very well lead to a heart attack,” he said.

The sheriff has also seen those who have physical issues fall in the snow and die due to hypothermia, simply because no one knew where they were.

The same happened to his own mother during the summertime, he said, who ended up breaking her leg and staying on the sidewalk for hours before anyone assisted her.

“That was in good weather,” he said. “If you broke a bone or hurt yourself and fell in this weather, now you’re in a snowbank, and it’s not long before you’re in a fatal position.”

The tally of injuries could get worse with dropping temperatures, Bouchard said. He fears with the great amount of snow that has fallen, the next wave of injuries could be those who go on their roofs to try to clear snow.

“Get a snow rake. It’s smarter than going up on the roof, a whole lot safer,” Bouchard said.

About the Author

John Turk covers the police beat and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners for The Oakland Press. He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. Reach the author at john.turk@oakpress.com
or follow John on Twitter: @jrturk.